How old is this baby?

[remknorretje]

Hi, i just bought a supposedly 75er 4001... sadly without a jack-plate.
My friend Bert tells me it should be a 73er because of the checker.
Can somebody help me out?
It says 4001 and then a Q in the control room + some little scribbles.

Thanks a lot for any info!

Remko, Amsterdam

[berth]

You should post all the "shops" of what you want(ed) to make of it Remco. They are quite interesting.

[jps]

Welcome, Renko!

It is a '73 and used to look like this (except for the replaced tuners and horseshoe pickup), going by the original finish still in the cavities.

4001_1200_7394.jpg

4001_1200_7397.jpg

4001_1200_7407.jpg

It also looks like the neck pickup cavity has been routed out a bit, too.

[Danotron]

yup, it looks like a mid '73 because of the checkered binding and smaller neck inlays.

Congratulations, it's a pretty cool place to start

[remknorretje]

Thanks, that's great info -)

I don't want to build her back into org.. to expensive for me and it will never be the same she used to be,
so i photoshoped u few id's.
I want to rebuild her in a bare ratRick, with only the necessities to give her the sound i like most.
Not sure if filling-up the hole from the bridge pu will be posible in a nice way..

the one i like most:


ode to the mother-Rick:


just a crazzy one:

[Grey]

I take it the last one is a joke?

Filling in the bridge will be very obvious and noticeable, the only way you could get away with it is to paint the guitar a flat (opaque) color.

[BAD RONBO, KiLLeR DWaRfS]

the last one looks way cool but the hands on your watch might pull downward ! (that is if you even wear a watch on your right arm or even wear on in the first place !) i'm sure a rotary switch would take care of all those switchcraft toggles !

the first idea was like the one i had back in the late '70's but in a fretless so as just to emulate an upright sound which i feel the 4000 series naturally has with a higain or toaster. was to be with or without pickguard depending on if i wanted to mount the pickup top side like some rick guitars do and if, back then, i could have special ordered something like that from RICKENBACKER inc.

cool ideas you got there. wish i had the gray matter to do photoshop like jeff and mario, but i can barely type (as "blue man" knows) and i have a lightbulb shaped callus on my index finger from responding to this forum !

[jps]

I feel the last one may not live up to it's full potential, as is! You do have room for one more toaster, so why ruin what could be a great instrument by leaving so much space?

I do like the concept of the first one with just a neck toaster, very jazz box like.

[remknorretje]

Like i wrote above the last pic..... "just a crazzy one:"

[electrofaro]

Welkom to the forums, Remko. Joined in 2008 and just posted now? Must be a record

I'm just a bit confused here... a pick-up selector switch and one PU in the first picture?
Or am I missing something only bass players know?

[BAD RONBO, KiLLeR DWaRfS]

did you forget..."the cap" ! or howzabout a coil tap...or,or maybe a stacked coil...or, or a kill switch or, or...

[electrofaro]

Uhm, yes

[remknorretje]

A killer switch it will be ; )

Some extra holes:



Digging for more room..

[BAD RONBO, KiLLeR DWaRfS]

looks like a badger was trying to find a home in the pickup well or maybe a place to hide a jelly roll. rear headstock pic... let's see ...how many different machine head types will fit on a rick ?

[remknorretje]

Thought it was an old gunnslinger bass, hit with a shotgunn..